Since my last post, we have traveled a lot. Visited friends in the beautiful city of Pu’er and went up to Kunming to pick up James’ mom at the airport. Somewhere along the way, we both got incredibly sick. It’s the first time since we arrived, so I guess it’s about time.

We returned home and realized that our season is changing. Again

This time, I don’t feel 100% prepared. It’s knocked me off my feet a little. It’s crunch time. Time to finish up tasks that will otherwise go unchecked for almost a month as we welcome his band & our small team on a 4 week tour throughout Yunnan. Time to plan for our return to the States, jobs, finances, housing, and the whole nine.

It’s just been truly amazing to sit back and breathe a little here. I have worked along the way and China always brings its own set of challenges – the initial culture shock, the days when inside is so much less scary than outside, the comfort and newness of finding community, breathtaking new scenery and adjusting to the norms that you once viewed as so bizarre, assuming something foreign as a part of yourself. But the pace is slower and the concerns are distinctly new. My focus is outward; I’m not worried about what I look like or whether I’ve kept up with the everyone else’s lives. It’s simply been a time to adopt a new life, culture, and people; even if for a short season.

My house hasn’t been made into a home because it’s not ours; it belongs to someone else and should feel like home to them when they return. That’s a hard desire to fight off as a new wife & just because it is a part of who I have always been. (My mom and I move furniture like it’s going out of style.)

I’m rambling now… My point is that we are on the brink of something new! There is much to look forward to, but leaving is always hard for me to do.

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KATE&CO. is owned by Kate Powell - an international portrait photographer specializing in authentic storytelling and portraiture that gives value to each individual's unique story. All images are the sole property of Kate Powell unless otherwise indicated & may not be used without permission.